Indian Contract Act, 1872 · Chapter II: Of Contracts, Voidable Contracts and Void Agreements · Void agreements
Section 24: Agreement void, if considerations and objects unlawful in part
If any part of a single consideration for one or more objects, or any one or any part of any one of several considerations for a single object, is unlawful, the agreement is void.
Illustration
A promises to superintend, on behalf of B, a legal manufacture of indigo, and an illegal traffic in other articles. B promises to pay to A a salary of 10,000 rupees a year. The agreement is void, the object of As promise, and the consideration for Bs promise, being in part unlawful.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 24
- Surendra Kumar Bhilawe v. The New India Assurance Company Limited
- State of Karnataka by Its Chief Secretary v. State of T. N. by Its Chief Secretary [Dipak Misra, Cji] 829 the State of Karnataka by Its Chief Secretarystate of Tamil Nadu by Its Chief Secretary & Ors.
- Indian Financial Assn. Seventh Pay Adventists v. M.A. Unneerikutty and Anr.
- B.O.I. Finance Limited Etc. v. The Custodian and Ors. Etc.
- Food Corporation of India and Ors. v. Jagannath Dutta and Ors.
- Union Carbide Corporation Etc. Etc. v. Union of India Etc. Etc